nation records

2022 Best Albums

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Our favorite albums from 2022 compiled in chronological order.

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2022 Best Albums

William Kincaid – Altered Ground [NAT022]

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This 28 minute documented performance will be released on Nation as the next level sound of Jakbeat in passionate craftsmanship as Kindcaid recorded in one take using a sequencer, with improvised keyboards, electronics & metallic percussion, and guitar playing LIVE!

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William Kincaid – Altered Ground [NAT022]

The Jak – An Offbeat Formation of Control / The Syringe [DB007]

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The Jak has returned with 2 new Dirty bLends in extremely limited quantity. Introducing nU cOhort to the label: The Falcon (a silent assassin). This new artist alias to the label has contributed to the further effort of maintaining the sound from the early inception of chicago tracks like the days of old that still lives and breathes in us today that honors and treasures enriched essential dance music history.

DirtyBlends Edition 7 both sides IZ straight HEAT!

The Jak kicks the A-Side into madness with a Jakbeat blueprint of energetic electronics and various bass lines on this obscure creation honoring Ron Hardy, Frankie Knuckles and Farley that resonates a confrontational question repeatedly saying “Who said i can’t beat U for the title track ‘An Offbeat Formation of Control’.

The Falcon Flys fiLthY iLL on the B-Side wit a whiPLash idea influenced from Chicago’s south-side of rhythm styles Paul Johnson and Chip E!!! made 2 Jak 4 Crazies that is truly Definitive Jakbeat.

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The Jak – An Offbeat Formation of Control / The Syringe [DB007]

The Jak – A Lost Religion [DB006]

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“The Jak has returned with 2 new Dirty bLends in extremely limited quantity. Introducing nU cOhort to the label: Rudy Rugar(a wild bandit). This new artist alias to the label has contributed to the further effort 
of maintaining the sound from the early inception of chicago tracks like the 
days of old that still lives and breathes in us today that honors and treasures 
enriched essential dance music history.

DirtyBlends Edition 6 is Underground Bizniss!

The Jak kicks the A-Side off with A Lost Religion… an offbeat rhythm with furious undercover drums, an atomic boom effect triggering energized strings fusing an artistic tradition of early basement style production of The Muzik Box re-igniting the past to the present into the future for education.

Roughneck Rudy Rugar beAts the B-Side with 2 tracks that is the 1st time we’ve ever done for any of our releases that both tracks are absolutely true examples of house heaven done DiRTy with: Pazuzu and Back To Enterprise .”

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The Jak – A Lost Religion [DB006]

Internal/External – 12 [KODE06]

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Nation’s sublabel Kode presents a new project between Chicago’s visionary Traxx and Athens, Greece June Records label mates Tsampikos Fronas & Trenton Chase as External/Internal…a new wave electrabeat collaboration. This 1st 12” showcases 2 tracks with different energy and emotions drawing musical influence from the early 80s pre-proto sounds of alternative and progressive chemistry and also offbeat rhythms that creates tension of feelings in character and musical arrangements with vocals sung on both productions from Trenton Chase.

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Internal/External – 12 [KODE06]

The Jak Presents DirtybLends Demonstration III: Technique

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Rush Hour Music invited Traxx in Amsterdam to Doka playing from start to end for 8 hours {150 person capacity/maximum vibes}

the demonstration for Doka was the 3rd exclusive edition of dirtyblends entitled: ⚙️🎛 TecHnique ⚙️ further showcasing musical blueprints of all rare chicago tracks both old and new, plus many NEW tracks unheard from dirtyblends along with raw disco, funk and edits all over and in between like the days of old in chicago diving deep into the ghosts of Ron Hardy at the Music Box, Liaisons Dangereuses at the Hacienda, NEW music from Nation and Kode plus INSANE unreleased treasures from Prince come together to raise the room’s musical temperature and awareness that was a self-evident spiritual experience, illumination, truth, emotional depth and suspension of time.

this demonstration has lots of new music to come from several releases we won’t announce just yet but what has been provided in this document is hours upon hours that is literally all over the rhythm 🎵 scales ⚖️

this was an intimate connection to the dance floor..

The Jak Presents DirtybLends Demonstration III: Technique

William Kincaid / Lex Lathan – Can’t Be / Mayhem Manipulation (The Jak Interpretation) [DB005]

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The Jak has returned witH Dirty bLends 5 in extremely limited quantity introducing nU cOhorts to the label. These new artist aliases to the label have contributed to the further effort of maintaining the sound from the early inception of dance tracks like the days of old that still lives and breathes in us today that honors and treasures enriched essential dance music history. William Kincaid (a rugged accomplice) smacks it fiLthY iLL on the A-Side wit a MUDDY whiPLash idea of tHe Music Box made 2 Jak 4 Crazies for ‘Can’t Be’. Lex Lathan (a villainous apprentice) Slays off the B-Side wit Jakbeat/Detroit damage on Mayhem Manipulation.

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William Kincaid / Lex Lathan – Can’t Be / Mayhem Manipulation (The Jak Interpretation) [DB005]

Mutant Beat Dance – No Comfort For Control [NAT020]

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The triad of Mutant Beat Dance brings an entirely different approach with numerous vocal appearances and raw funkiness. The kind of sound that brings images of dark and dirty city streets to mind that would not feel out of place as the soundtrack for an cult 80s film about about street gangs i.e. the Duke from Escape From New York…or Style Wars. The Wave and House sounds are present but then there’s distorted walking bass guitars and snapping drums give it this more swampy sound, and also the more punk rock sound of The Stooges or The Cramps. This release is the feeling of listening to a band and not just some guys who are making electronic music. This is an excellent juxtaposition of styles that is effective in both manners.

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Mutant Beat Dance – No Comfort For Control [NAT020]

The Jak / Zodiak – Gravity D / The Final Voice [DB004]

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JAK, The/ZODIAK - Gravity D Lyte

The Jak has returned witH Dirty Blends 4, a Tribalistic Madness * ULtra BaDness*, introducing nU cOhorts to the label, Zodiak (a lowdown henchman). The Jak kicks the A-Side off with Gravity D-Lyte as the simplistic rhythm of jakbeat moves over a dark expansive tone taking the dancer to the twilight zone. Zodiak beAts “The Final Voice” expanding on a forward/backwards blueprint.

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The Jak / Zodiak – Gravity D / The Final Voice [DB004]

The Jak – Black Accordion / Dirty Riddim ’87 [DB003]

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JAK, The - Black Accordion

Dirty Blends 3 is here! The Jak returns to the forefront with these 2 new crucial compositions of Jakbeat: Black Accordion and Dirty Riddim ’87. Black Accordion was created in the realm of early Relief/Dancemania records preserving a specific timeline of early 90s Chicago style tracks that people like Gemini,Paul Johnson,Boo Williams Glenn Underground and Cajmere played on loft and warehouse parties… Dirty Riddim 87 is created strictly for Ron Hardy as this is the 2nd conceptual idea to follow “Hardy’s Haunted Box” from the 2nd edition of dirtyblends. 

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The Jak – Black Accordion / Dirty Riddim ’87 [DB003]

2021 Top 3 – Readers List

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The end of the year is always a good time to step back an reflect and for me is also a time to take a look at what our readers enjoyed the most on hipodrome. This is a summary of the top 3 albums, compilations and recordings that our readers liked the most this year. I’m really proud with our visitors and you can see they have a good taste in music.

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2021 Top 3 – Readers List

The Jak – Sequential Sleaze / Hardy’s Haunted Box [DB002]

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JAK, The - Sequential Sleaze

Interpretations created by The Jak. Made In Chicago. The Kid Jak strikes again with two infectious dance floor cuts. The A-side brings that oldskool Chicago and New York house music feel in it’s most direct form while the b-side has that psychedelic flavor over a simple beat track. “Experiencing music collectively is a critical part of absorbing it’s meaning and it’s unique ability to communicate abstract ideas that resonate differently with different individuals.”

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The Jak – Sequential Sleaze / Hardy’s Haunted Box [DB002]

Modern Analysis – Proto Rhythm [NATION19]

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MODERN ANALYSIS - Proto Rhythm

After a 4 year hiatus, Nation return to the vinyl world with their essential qty pressing / strictly ‘no repress’ policy firmly in place. A label designed to “Going Out” while “Holding The Lifeline”. Invocations of modern musical practice in the course of hypnotism in which each improvisation unreels in a mixture of a fanciful flight and a solid “Always There” beat. Modern Analysis is a new alias project for this their debut 12”. The duo was driven by these times of change and transformation in our world where we feel odd, lost or alienated. Lives have been lost, which has been greatly emotional for humanity. Everyone has a limited time on this planet and nothing stays the same – everything is in constant change.

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Modern Analysis – Proto Rhythm [NATION19]

Sacred Article / SSPS – Output/Signal [KODE04]

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SACRED ARTICLE/SSPS - Output/Signal

Nation’s sub label Kode returns with a split 12” release entitled “Output/Signal”. On Side A we have “Empty Spirit Of A Psychopath (Psyche Cover)” from Sacred Article, a new alias project for their debut concept creation cover of the band, Psyche, of electronics in their region of cold harsh industrial, warm synthpop, dancefloor minimal mayhem and beyond. The flip side comes from label compadre SSPS, kicking off with the live performance of “Train Full of Strangers”, from Unlimited Nation Online Festival in the summer of 2020, an electrifying tune influenced by Suicide.

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Sacred Article / SSPS – Output/Signal [KODE04]

Two Dogs in a House – Lost Dogs [LIESXX]

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Two Dogs in a House is Jason Letkiewicz and Ron Morelli. This is a collection of Two Dogs in a House tracks from the archives spanning 2009-2013. Tracks 1-5 previously unreleased, track 6 released on vinyl on Lets Play House Records, track 7 unreleased remix of Black Deer and tracks 8-10 recorded in 2013, released on vinyl in 2015 as Doomsday Initiative II, with blessed permission from Nation.

Two Dogs in a House – Lost Dogs [LIESXX]